When this trailer for Aloha hit the web this morning, my wife sent me an article titled, "Are You Ready To Have Cameron Crowe Back In Your Life?" For this guy, the answer is a resounding, "Fuck yeah."
Crowe is one of those guys who I can't help but love despite any and all logic. And while Almost Famous is easily his best work and Jerry Maguire is certainly his most commercial, it's his more maligned films like Vanilla Sky and Elizabethtown that I find myself revisiting most often. Sure they're far from perfect, but I guess I'm just a sucker for Crowe's particular brand of earnestness and bleeding heart sentimentality. Besides, the guy wrote Fast Times At Ridgemont High.
Okay sure, Aloha looks like it borrows liberally from the Elizabethtown playbook, specifically the good looking guy who gets chewed out by Alec Baldwin after blowing a huge business deal and then having to move to his former home to sort his life out. But after that we get a love triangle of sorts between Bradley Cooper's old flame (Rachel McAdams) and an energetic young Air Force officer (Emma Stone) and I guess he's working for his old boss and HOLY SHIT IS THAT BILL MURRAY??? Jesus fuck! I am all about Bill Murray in full on Lester Bangs-mode, spouting insight and wisdom as only Bill Murray can. And hey, maybe this movie will finally put Bradley Cooper back in my good graces. Then again, maybe not. Every time I see him do that little surfer hand gesture I want to punch him in the dick.
Also, nothing against Jon Krasinski, but I really hope that his character goes the whole movie without speaking.